VIENNA, Austria - Key U.S. allies have begun debating whether to tolerate Iran's only partially freezing its uranium enrichment program — a stance that could put them at odds with Washington, officials said Friday.

G8 threatens Iran over nuclear ambitionsHEILIGENDAMM, Germany (AFP) - The Group of Eight powers on Friday threatened to take new measures against Iran if the Islamic republic continues to ignore UN demands to halt its uranium enrichment.

US 'Iran attack plans' revealedUS contingency plans for air strikes on Iran extend beyond nuclear sites and include most of the country's military infrastructure, the BBC has learned.

It is understood that any such attack - if ordered - would target Iranian air bases, naval bases, missile facilities and command-and-control centres.

Crackdown on Dissent Is Under Way in IranIran is in the throes of one of its most ferocious crackdowns on dissent in years, with the government focusing on labor leaders, universities, the press, women’s rights advocates, a former nuclear negotiator and Iranian-Americans, three of whom have been in prison for more than six weeks.

The shift is occurring against the backdrop of an economy so stressed that although Iran is the world’s second-largest oil exporter, it is on the verge of rationing gasoline. At the same time, the nuclear standoff with the West threatens to bring new sanctions.

Iranian students report crackdownIranian students and professors say an unprecedented number of disciplinary cases have been brought against students in the last month.